Venezuelan Marine Corps

The Venezuelan Marine Corps are known as the Marine Infantry ("DIVISIÓN DE INFANTERÍA DE MARINA") and are part of the Venezuelan Navy.

History

The Venezuelan Marines trace their history back to the combined marines corps of Gran Colombia which was formed in 1822 and was dissolved in 1829. The Venezuelan marines were formed on 1 July 1938 when a company was formed to provide ships detachments. A second company was formed in 1939 and a third in 1943. They were then merged into the Naval Infantry Battalion (Batallone de Infanteria de Marina -BIM) , headquartered at Puerto Cabello, on 11 December 1945. This is looked upon as the official anniversary of the marines. In February 1946 a second BIM was raised at Puerto Cabello and the original BIM became the 1st battalion and was then moved to Marquetia. Marine headquarters was then located in Caracas. The third Battalion was then formed in 1958. The 4th Battalion was formed in the early 1980s.

In June 1958, 2d BIM muntinied and was put down by the navy and other marines.

Organization

Headquartered in Meseta de Mamo, Vargas, the estimated numerical strength of this unit is of approx. 8,000 men and women. Its mission is to "enlist and direct its units in order to form the disembarking force and/or support of amphibious or special operations; executing naval safeguarding and environmental policing, as well as actively participating in the national development".

Rear Admiral Armando López Conde is the current commandant.

Divisional units

* Support Battalion Almirante Luis Brión
* Artillery Group VA Lino de Clemente
* Communication Battalion CF. Felipe Baptista
* Special Operations Command Generalísimo Francisco de Miranda
* Replacement Regiment CA Armando López Conde

1º Brigade of Marine Infantry General Carlos Soublette

* 2nd Marine Infantry Battalion General Rafael Urdaneta
* 4th Marine Infantry Battalion Generalisimo Francisco de Miranda
* Marine Infantry Battalion Contraalmirante Renato Beluche
* Amphibious Vehicles Battalion Capitán de Corbeta Manuel Ponce Lugo

2º Brigade of Marine Infantry CA José Eugenio Hernández

* 1st Marine Infantry Battalion Gral. Simón Bolívar
* 3rd Marine Infantry Battalion Mariscal Antonio José de Sucre
* Marine Infantry Battalion Gral. José Francisco Bermudez

1º Border (Riverine) Brigade General in Chief José Antonio Páez

* Border River command Teniente de Navío Jacinto Muñoz
* Orinoco-Apure axis fluvial command General Manuel Piar

2º Borderline fluvial brigade General de Brigada Franz António Risques Irribarren

* Borderline fluvial command CA Armando Medina
* Borderline fluvial command CA Francisco Pérez Hernández

Each border/ riverine command has a command, an IM Battalion, a Maintenance company and a Service Support company. These units have a base of operations and five naval outposts with an IM company and no less than 6 assault and river combat speedboats each.

Brigade of Engineers CA José Ramón Yépez

* 141 Battalion of Combat Engineers Teniento de Navío Jerónigo Rengifo
* 142 Battalion of Maintenance and Construction CA José María García
* 143 Battalion of Maintenance and Construction Capital de Navíos Nicolás Jolly
* 144 Battalion of Maintenance and Construction General Ezequiel Zamora

Brigade of Naval Police

* 1º Naval Police Battalion Capitán de Navío Alejo Sánchez Navarro
* 2º Naval Police Battalion (not yet active)
* 3º Naval Police Battalion (not yet active)
* 4º Naval Police Battalion (not yet active)

Brigade of Naval Reserve

* Naval Reserve Battalion Batalla de Chichiriviche
* Naval Reserve Battalion Batalla de Punta Brava
* Naval Reserve Battalion Expedición de la Vela de Coro
* Naval Reserve Battalion Expedición de Los Cayos

Arms and equipment

Naval Infantry's equipment is the same standard issue as the rest of the armed forces, excluding Special Forces armaments. Armored units and heavy equipments of the Naval Infantry is the following:

Armor

* 6x6 Engesa EE-11 Urutú Amphibious Assault APC. (Brazil)- 38 EE-11, (3 EE-11 VCMDM3S1+3 EE-11 VRCPM3S2 +12 EE-11 VTTRM3S7 +20 EE-11 VTTRM3S6)
* FMC LVTP-7 Amphibious Assault Armored Vehicle. (USA)- 11 AAVT-7s, (1 AAVTC-7 +1AAVTR-7 +9AAVTP-7)

Artillery and anti-aircraft batteries

* Oto Melara M-56 105/14mm towed howitzer. (Italy)- 12
* Thomson-Brandt MO-120 120mm heavy mortar. (France)- 18
* Bofors RBS-70 anti-aircraft battery. (United Kingdom)- 12

Tactical and transport land vehicles

* Land Rover Defender 90HT/110HT. (United Kingdom)
* Ford M151 MUTT. (United States)
* Chevrolet M-705. (United States)
* IAI M-325 Commandacar.
* Steyr-MAN L-80 series, tactical transport truck.
* Engesa EE-25, tactical transport truck. (Brazil)

Speedboats and launches

* Guardian 22' patrol speedboat. (United States)
* Guardian 25' patrol speedboat. (United States)

Other models in service include Caroní, Manapiare, Caimán, 22 Apure/Apure II assault launches, (all designed and made in Venezuela) and US Coibas.

ee also

*Marines

External links

* [http://www.armada.mil.ve/comnaop/divimbo/divimbo.html Official website]